Man shot dead by UK police, 5 arrested; inquiry begins

LONDON – An investigation has been launched after British police fatally shot a man during an operation in which five other people were arrested.

West Yorkshire police said the operation “related to information received about criminal possession of a firearm,” and was not related to terrorism.

The man who was killed was identified as 27-year-old Mohammed Yassar Yaqub of Huddersfield. His family issued a statement through a lawyer saying they are “in shock and distraught.”

Police shootings are rare in Britain and there is an automatic investigation when someone is killed. Police say they are co-operating with the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

The commission said in a statement that a firearm was found in the car Yaqub was travelling in and is being examined. The statement said it did not appear to be a police weapon.

The man was shot Monday evening on a highway near Huddersfield, 190 miles (305 kilometres) north of London. The arrests were made at two locations.

At the scene, a silver Audi with bullet holes in its windshield was surrounded by other vehicles Tuesday morning as police and forensic teams continued their investigation.